The Le Mans General Discussion Thread

Seeing as we keep all race-related stuff in this all-in-one thread, I'll try to make a post with some sense and clarity:


1. ABOUT THE LE MANS 24 HOURS TO BE RACED NEXT JUNE:

Tommi, thanks for the link to the entry list. A few comments: on the LMP category:

a) I'm eagerly awaiting the launch of the AMR One. And in any case I find it a pity that there'll be no closed cockpit Lola Aston this time, the car was just beautiful. We'll keep seeing it in the ALMS though :)

b) It's nice to see Pescarolo return as a team, hope they do well;

c) As an Highcroft fan, I don't understand their move to LMP1. They don't stand a chance in this class, why didn't they stick to LMP2 and go for the win they missed last year. Strakka ('10 winner) is there .... I really don't understand.

d) Why is #6 missing? Is it reserved? Nobody wants it? That number has won Le Mans in the past!



1. ABOUT SEBRING WINTER TEST AND 12 HOURs RACE:

a) Old Boone thanks for the pics, they're great as usual! 👍

b) Does anyone know if a live feed of the race will be available?
 
Old Boone
The 12 Hours of Sebring grid is incredible! 59 cars...that's good stuff.
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I was hoping to see this for the Intercontinental Cup races. Petit should be loaded as well.

And again, thanks for the pics. It is nice to see them here then have my friend forward a blog article with them in two days just so I can send him back links to the rest and tell him I saw them, plus some, already.

Hun200kmh
c) As an Highcroft fan, I don't understand their move to LMP1. They don't stand a chance in this class, why didn't they stick to LMP2 and go for the win they missed last year. Strakka ('10 winner) is there .... I really don't understand.
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Are Peugeot and Audi running full seasons or just doing the full endurance races, like last year? If Audi and Peugeot are only showing up for two races then maybe they think they do have a chance (keeping in mind Sebring is an ALMS race). Or maybe there is an added benefit to being third for the season in LMP1 rather than first in another class? Money comes in from so many places it is hard to guess.
 
Highcroft is going to Le Mans, with the P1 car, so they will meet Peugeot and Audi there anyway. As far as being in P1 in ALMS goes, I think they are going to be plenty competitive in P1 in ALMS anyway without the factory cars playing in it.

Wirth is making a new car for 2012 for P1, so maybe having Highcroft running the current car to get more information out of it is just as important as outright trying to win the thing this year. These guys are pretty committed(both Wirth and Highcroft), so maybe they are seeing this as a dress rehearsal for their real shot next year....
 
Here are a few more shots from last week's test. I've heard that Level 5 might be privately testing their new LMP2 cars at Sebring during the first week in March. If that ends up being true and I'm not completely swamped at work, I'm gonna try to drive out there to get a few shots of the car (should be some proper 2011-spec cars).


Sebring 2011 - ALMS / ILMC Winter Test - Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 GT2 by Old Boone, on Flickr


Sebring 2011 - ALMS / ILMC Winter Test - Robertson Racing Ford GT Mk7 by Old Boone, on Flickr


Sebring 2011 - ALMS / ILMC Winter Test - Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR by Old Boone, on Flickr


Sebring 2011 - ALMS / ILMC Winter Test - Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT2 by Old Boone, on Flickr


Sebring 2011 - ALMS / ILMC Winter Test - Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR by Old Boone, on Flickr


Sebring 2011 - ALMS / ILMC Winter Test - West Racing Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 GT2 by Old Boone, on Flickr


Sebring 2011 - ALMS / ILMC Winter Test - Larbre Competition Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT2 by Old Boone, on Flickr


Sebring 2011 - ALMS / ILMC Winter Test - Kelly Moss Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup by Old Boone, on Flickr


Sebring 2011 - ALMS / ILMC Winter Test - Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 GT2 by Old Boone, on Flickr
 
I wasn't sure where exactly to put this, because it's linked with both Le Mans, Rallyes and Kubica's accident thread.

In short, several well-known Le Mans drivers are into rallying (I suppose being a professional in a category with few and far between races helps), as can be seen here:

http://www.lemans.org/en/news/From-endurance-racing-to-rally_2937.html

I wonder what makes all these highly successful drivers so interested in rallying, and also how do they - especially after Kubica's crash - get authorized to do this by their regular teams. Especially in the case of Pagenaud, both a Highcroft driver in the ALMS and a Peugeot driver in the ILMC (and Le Mans, especially).
 
Hun200kmh
I wonder what makes all these highly successful drivers so interested in rallying, and also how do they - especially after Kubica's crash - get authorized to do this by their regular teams. Especially in the case of Pagenaud, both a Highcroft driver in the ALMS and a Peugeot driver in the ILMC (and Le Mans, especially).
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I'm guessing it has something to do with rally racing being one of the few forms of racing left that you don't have to constantly run to be competitive. So they can just go rallying during the off season.

As for how they get authorized, it comes down to the individual teams, although I think most realize that Kubica's incident was just a freak accident.
 
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Peugeot Unveils 908 Hybrid4


575x459.jpg


http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-peugeot-unveils-908-hybrid4/
 
Justin
I'm guessing it has something to do with rally racing being one of the few forms of racing left that you don't have to constantly run to be competitive. So they can just go rallying during the off season.
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I don't think there's any truth to that statement. The rallies Kubica enetered was only a National rally, so naturally does not have as good a drivers. Stephane Sarrazin enters the Monte mosts years and has the skill to win it, but this is because he was originally a rally driver (a Factory Subaru one no less, at least on tarmac events) before he did sportscars.
 
I don't think the AMR looks bad, it just looks average. Reminds me of the old 90s LMP2 or the later LMP900 class cars. As long as its fast and challenges Audi and Pug, it doesn't matter.
 
I'm a bit disappointed with the look of the Aston but I'm interested by the engine. These new rules has at least given us variety in the 'big 3' Sportscar teams. Pug with a diesel 3.7l V8, Audi with a 3.7l V6 and now Aston with a 2l straight-six petrol.

Bit gutted that AMR aren't doing Sebring, though.
 
The Aston Martin is an odd looking car. I'm with Ardius, it's reminiscent of the LMP900 cars from early 2000's. The high, flat nose reminds me of the Lola B2K/10:

lola28konrad.JPG
 
I actually like the looks of the Aston. Minus the shark fin then everything should be good... Perhaps a more sculptured side...
 
I think the AMR-One is plain ugly. And the GULF colors don't save it, they are a waste in such a ugly car ... :yuck:

In other news :rolleyes: : ALMS is gearing up for this season. I have become a subscriber in Youtube of their official channel http://www.youtube.com/user/ALMSOfficialVideos

... and yesterday got a new video. Named ... IT'S TIME! And indeed it is! 👍

[YOUTUBEHD]JiZSZFAuce0[/YOUTUBEHD]
 
I think the shark fin is ruining the cars a bit this year, just as it'd left F1...
 
interludes
The Aston Martin AMR-One, on the other hand, looks horrible (sorry I can't get any bigger photos):

amr_one_0104-2
amr_one_0110-2


amr_one_0114-2
amr_one_0117-2


amr_one_0111-2


It looks like a submarine with wheels.
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Not sure about the black flashes, but still looks pretty good. Team may enter Sebring as a test race.

And ORECA's 908? Reminds me of an LMP675 from around 2004... can't remember who it was...
 
I did sya above about Sebring. They were down to enter pretty much from when they announced the car at Silverstone last year, but have not been ready in time so will not be doing Sebring.
 
Duffers917K
I did sya above about Sebring. They were down to enter pretty much from when they announced the car at Silverstone last year, but have not been ready in time so will not be doing Sebring.
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From Autosport:

The first AMR_one was due to run this week in England ahead of the first circuit test. On the basis of that, the team will decide whether the car will be on the grid for the Sebring 12 Hours. Should AMR take part in the event on March 19, it would be "very much a test race"
 
Mr Mulsanne I apologise, but I had read somewhere else they'd canned the idea.

Hun, only new cars have to have it, restricted old spec LMP1 and LMP2 cars don't need to have it.
 
MrMulsanne
From Autosport:

The first AMR_one was due to run this week in England ahead of the first circuit test. On the basis of that, the team will decide whether the car will be on the grid for the Sebring 12 Hours. Should AMR take part in the event on March 19, it would be "very much a test race"
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also from autosport from 2 days ago.

Plans to take the car to the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup opener at Sebring later this month for what Howard-Chappell described as "a test race" were abandoned this week.
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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89690
 
I'm really curious about the Le Mans stuff and I find myself pretty impressed with it after reading a summarized version of the 1988 Le Mans. Is there anything I may need to know about Le Mans?
 
Limelight788
I'm really curious about the Le Mans stuff and I find myself pretty impressed with it after reading a summarized version of the 1988 Le Mans. Is there anything I may need to know about Le Mans?
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What do you wish to know?
 

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